What is a Green and Natural Burial?
With concerns about the environment and more people looking to do things naturally, green and natural burial and the green cemetery are rising in popularity.
By choosing natural burial the family is opting for a more environmentally friendly way of respecting their loved one. Since this is becoming such a popular option, it makes sense for funeral directors to offer it alongside their other burial plans.
But many funeral directors working today wonder what exactly natural burial is. How does it work? What really separates it from a traditional burial? How can I incorporate it into my business?
The point of these burials is to be more environmentally friendly from start to finish. This means wooden coffins that are not treated with a lot of chemicals.
These coffins don't have any glue or metal in them. This way it can break down naturally and leave nothing behind eventually.
Another thing about the wooden caskets that are usually used in natural burials is that they are made from renewable trees.
While some caskets are made from tropical trees that are difficult to replenish, some natural caskets are made out of materials such as wicker and bamboo, both of which grow very quickly.
Some families opt to leave the coffin they care you out in out of the equation altogether. Many families can choose to have their loved one's remains wrapped in natural cloth that is completely biodegradable. This option allows the decomposition process to start even sooner.
A final thing that is left out of a green cemetery is the concrete vaults. Instead of using tons of concrete to build the vaults, they don't use vaults. This saves money and the environment in many ways including less carbon footprint.
When preparing a body for a green and natural burial, the traditional embalming processes are forgone. This is because embalming the body slows down the natural decomposition process, which is not the point of a natural burial.
Also, there is concern about toxic embalming substances contaminating the soil and water, so they are prohibited in natural interment.
To remember those who have passed on, a green cemetery usually will plant trees and other native plants to embrace the land. Natural stones can replace the use of headstones. This is a very eco-friendly option because the process of making the tombstone is eliminated.
The point of a green cemetery is to ensure that the entire funeral has the least impact on the environment. Some cemeteries and funeral homes are now offering webcasts of funerals so that people can "attend" without using fuel.
Along with the green funerals, many families may ask for biodegradable urns and other eco friendly choices. The demand for sustainable resources to be used in funerals and burials is growing steadily.
While some people worry that an eco earth-friendly funeral at a green cemetery will be more difficult to arrange than a traditional funeral, it actually isn't. As long as they can accommodate it, a funeral director can easily arrange a ecologically sound funeral and burial.
Another great thing about natural burials is that they usually cost considerably less than a traditional funeral. With the financial issues many people are experiencing, this make green funerals an attractive option.
This may bring a funeral director extra business because they offer a less expensive eco-friendly option than competing funeral homes.
While these green and natural funerals are not for everyone, more and more people are asking for them. Being able to accommodate a family who asks for this kind of burial is good for the earth, and good for business!